Frank Duncan, aged 13 years, was riding,
a bicycle yesterday evening along Hillston Road at Wrightvllle, when through some
cause he fell. He was found unconscious on, the road, and brought to town by a 'busman. Ho was found to be suffering from concussion
of the brain

BUSHFIRES.
Few Now Burning.
EXAGGERATED REPORTS.
Reports last night from all centres in the
west and south, in which serious bushflres had
been raging, were definitely reassuring.
The Cobar correspondent of the "Herald"
stated that the only fires now burning between
that town and Wilcannia, in the west, were
those on Nillera station, 32 miles down the
Hlllston-road, and Elsinore, 40 miles west of
Cobar. The fires on Tambua and Wilga
Downs had been subdued. In the north,
towards Byrock, an outbreak on Coronga Peak
was still burning fiercely, and spreading to-
wards the adjoining property of Coronga
Downs. Curraweena was still ablaze in
places. Small fires were burning on the large
Paddington estate, and on the adjoining pro-
perties of Belford, Bindi, and Lachlan Downs.
A storm was thieatening at Cobar last night,
and hopes were entertained that rain to-day
would assist to subdue the remaining fires.
All fires within a radius of 30 miles of Bourke
had been extinguished by yesterday morning,
and volunteers had returned to the town.
Both west and east from Menindie all fires
were either out or under control. A report
to Broken Hill police by Sergeant Canning, of
Menindie, stated that about 80 firefighters
were still patrolling the smouldering ruins in
case of further outbreaks. They were mostly
engaged in throwing burning logs back into
the burnt area to prevent them setting light
to new country.
In the south the serious fires of earlier in
the week at Lake Cargelligo were all under
control anr' being rapidly subdued. Minor
outbreaks occurred yesterday at Junee, on
the south-west slopes, and Trundle, on the
central-western plains.
Correspondents of the "Herald" at Bourke,
Cobar, Menindie, Wilcannia, and Lake Car-
gelligo state that there have been many ex-
aggerated reports, and that there is no Justi-
fication for alarming statements. Under the
Impression that a large portion of New South
Wales was in serious danger, many people in
Sydney offered their assistance yesterday. The
New Guard stated last night that it had 1000
men in readiness for transport to the scene,
but had been advised by the Mayor of Cobar
that volunteers were not required at the
moment. A suggestion that the naval and
air forces should be mobilised in the bushfire
zones was rejected as impracticable, and would
now appear to have been un

[S2983] The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), Wed 13 Jan 1932 Page 10.
HIGH WIND
Fix this textCOBAR, Wednesday.
With the main detachment
at Wilson's Tank, about 40
miles out, and another base
at Ampitheatre, 12 miles
from Cobar, the New Guard
firefighters are now at
strategic points for active
fires and several threatened
areas.
Their supply lorry, which broke
down 45 miles from Cobar. arrived
to-day. and will go on to the farthest
base
Mr. Norman McKiilop, owner of
Ampitheatre, wired his manager to
provide free meat to the Guard while
they are at that base.
Just after the big 'buses left, they
encountered a fierce westerly, which
compelled them to stop until the
blinding red duststorm subsided.
The storm lasted little more than
an hour, then light rain fell.
Just as the Guardsmen left town,
insurance assessors arrived to
traverse fire-swept areas.
"Meeting A Farce"
The fires in the immed'ate
Cobar area arc almost entirely
out, but if northerly winds revive
them, volunteers will be available
to check their spread.
With their subsidence, however,
bitter political feeling has been no
ticed among a certain section of the
community.
While several unemployed were In
terviewing the Minister for Works
(Alderman Maidens) on the subject
of dole and endowment on Monday
night, it was decided to call a meet
ing to protest against the New Guard.
The whole nature of these pro
ceedings was a farce, and even
among the 18 unemployed and
the few bush volunteers present,
there was not unanimity.
Minister Disappoints
The mover of the motion against
the New Guard was "Trucker"
Brown, who always addresses "Com
rade, the Chair."
An indignation meeting has been
called by graziers for January 23.
Many townspeople are dissatis
fied at the statements made by
the Minister on hearsay, and
without having been over the tiro
area.
Men who came in from Wilson's
Tank to-day said there was an ex
tensive glare in . the direction of
Taringa last night, and squads bad
gone out on foot to tackle it.
Rabbits were so plentiful when
the 'buses were going out that the
men caught 60 by hand, and made
a meal of them.
One burnt-out Digger settler,
F. Duncan, has opened a refresh
ment shop in Cobar.